Life Is Never Dull With These Three
by Samanda Hime-sama
Summary: This accompanies 'She Waits For Us' Tenchi/Ryoko. This is told from a third person POV that centers around Ryoko's current life and past memories. Warning: there is character death and swearing.
1. Default Chapter

Okay. Here is the Tenchi/Ryoko fic I promised you. It accompanies another of my poemfic's, She Waits For Us. Please read first because the story line is linear 

and won't switch back into the past and forth into the present like this one will. It is a third person POV but it centers on Ryoko and her current life and past memories. It 

is only the first chapter so stay tuned for more. Warning: this will be angsty as well as WAFFY.

To all people who reviewed. Especially Blue Haired Goddess who's glowing review for the poemfic that spawned this made me blush and feel warm inside. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of it's characters. I'm simply borrowing them for a while.

Sincerely

Samanda Hime-sama

Life is Never Dull With These Three

Something tickled her nose and she batted at it without opening her eyes. It moved away and she settled back into sleep with a soft grunt, cuddling close to the 

pillows that lay underneath her head. The tickling sensation returned and she grumbled a little. She surfaced from sleep hearing small giggles as the tickling intensified. 

She cracked open an eye to see a little girl rubbing a feather in her face while her brother laughed and egged her on.

The little girl was about four years of age with slitted golden eyes and messy dark brown hair. She was wearing a Hello Kitty nightgown and seemed rather 

content to sit on Ryoko all day. The boy on the other hand was tall for his five years and his spiky cyan hair was hopeless as usual. His dark brown eyes twinkled with 

laughter at his sister's antics.

"I'm up, I'm up," Ryoko mumbled.

The little one dropped the feather, "Hungry."

Ryoko got out of bed still half-asleep. "I hear you. Where's your papa?"

The little girl grinned showing off a set of miniature fangs. " 'Side."

"I see," Ryoko was almost awake now. "Go find him for me, Yosho."

Yosho dematerialized saying, "Why me? It's always me."

She moved sluggishly towards the dining room where her adopted sister, Sasami, was putting breakfast on the table. Ryoko yawned and then winked at the 

toddler in her high chair. Ryoko sat in her chair and served herself. The little girl gave her a slobbery smile and smashed her plastic spoon against the tray, much to 

Ryoko's dismay.

Ryoko winced. "Whoa there, sweetie. Momma's ears are sensitive."

Washuu, appeared from behind her, snorted. "Like she cares."

"Hey Mom," Ryoko nodded at her. "I know but I can hope that the munchkin will outgrow it soon."

Washuu looked over at the little girl who was playing with her own short blue hair. She blew Washuu a rasberry and Washuu grinned as the cutie closed her

crimson eyes in laughter. She looked back at her daughter, Ryoko, and for a brief instant remembered the tension that had once existed between them. She was glad that

they had made their peace at last.

"Well Ayeka certainly isn't as terrible as your other two," Washuu remarked.

"Want drink," Ayeka banged her spoon for attention.

Ryoko gave Ayeka a sippy cup half full of juice and grinned as she dug into the food in front of her. "No comment. And here come my hurricanes."

Achika barreled in with her newest affectation, a dirty stick, that she kept waving around as she took her seat. Yosho phased in dragging his father behind him 

who still carried a basket of carrots on his back. His father gave Ryoko a sheepish smile as he slung the carrot basket near the door to the kitchen.

Ayeka screamed, "Daddy!" and threw her drink at the entering Kiyone who caught it and gave it back.

"Hello munchkin," Tenchi kissed Ayeka's forehead.

He took his seat and teasingly sighed, "Am I to be dragged forever to any meals I happen to miss?"

Achika yelled. "Yes Papa!"

Washuu just grinned.

Ryoko shrugged. "I told Yosho to find you, Tenchi. Not to drag you back while you were working."

"Sorry, Papa." Yosho gave him a winning smile.

Tenchi melted, "It's okay, son."

"Softie," Ryoko muttered and her mother smothered a laugh.

Ayeka banged her spoon. "Softie!"

Sasami appeared from the kitchen with the last load of food. "Okay breakfast's ready. Dig in!"

Everyone cheered. "Yes!"

An hour later after the craziness of the three children and everyone was dotted with bits of food that had been thrown (in Ayeka's case) or 'accidentally' flung everywhere 

in the other children's cases. Ryoko unhooked the high chair tray and picked up Ayeka.

The kids were all ready for baths, Ryoko decided.

"Whew are you dirty, Ayeka. I'm going to take her to get cleaned up. Tenchi can you make sure the other two wash thoroughly?"

"Sure, dear." Tenchi said reassuringly over the loud groans of Achika and Yosho's "Mooooom!" 

Mihoshi stumbled into the dining room. "Is breakfast over?" She asked sleepily.

Ryoko picked up the messy child and took her into the onsen while Tenchi took the other two into the bathroom. Ryoko stripped the wiggling the two-year-old

then phased out of her own clothes. She slipped into the onsen to the delight of her daughter who wiggled and screamed with delight. Ayeka splashed noisily and 

giggled making her mother grin.

Ryoko's smile faded. She still missed the grown up Ayeka more than she wanted to admit but Ayeka made her choice. She thought back to eight years ago…

Ryoko ran a hand through her hair as she and all the rest of the household gathered around the couch were Ayeka was laying limply. Ayeka looked terrible. Her 

eyes were bloodshot and she was paler than normal. Sasami looked a little scared as she held her sister's hand while Washuu scanned her body with her holo computer. 

She finished and made her laptop dissapear. 

Washuu looked compassionately at Ayeka. She simply smiled and nodded to Washuu who took a deep breath. "Sasami dear, your sister is sick."

The whole room was struck silent except for Sasami. She said in a quivering voice "But you can fix it Washuu. Right?"

"I won't let her, Sasami." Ayeka's soft voice intruded.

Sasami looked at her. "But why?"

"You know as well as I do that if I let Washuu implant a new heart whether synthetic or real I will be considered weak. Weak people cannot be Joosama*, Sasami. I must 

beat this on my own without any help," Ayeka said in a calm voice.

"Don't die, Ayeka! Promise me." Sasami was panicked.

Ayeka smiled gently and hugged her. "I cannot promise that, Sasami. Tsunami collects those whose time is up, no matter what."

Tears collected in the young princess' eyes and ran down her face and a sob broke free from her throat. She turned and ran upstairs. This galvanized the others

into motion and the resulting clamor was almost too much for the elder princess to stand.

"What?" "No it can't be!" "Why, Ayeka?" and "Stupid, prissy princess."

Washuu said sharply, "Quiet! She needs quiet."

Ryoko studied everyone around her trying to keep her own shock at bay. Tenchi looked disbelieving and horrified. Washuu looked as compassionate as her 

face could allow. Mihoshi was sobbing uncontrollably and clinging to Kiyone who had her hands full trying to calm down her emotional partner. Noboyuki, Tenchi's 

father, had paled and was silent. Katsuhito looked as stoic and stony faced as always.

Ayeka searched the faces around her as she replied. "There is no true death. I know this. To live means to change and I am in the midst of such a change. I hope it will 

strengthen and improve my character."

It calmed down and Tenchi stepped into the lull. "Why Ayeka? Why not be healed by Washuu or Tsunami?"

"Good idea," Ryoko said and Kiyone agreed.

Ayeka gave Tenchi a smile. It was far different than her usual wistful smile, no this smile was the sweetest that Ryoko had ever seen grace a person's face. For 

the first time Ryoko saw more than a glimmer of the true person that lay behind Ayeka's mask of serenity. This person had steel in the core of her soul and determination 

drove her decisions. In that moment no sadness was present in her face or dogged the knowledgeable eyes of the Jurain princess.

A look passed between her and the scientist before she answered Tenchi. "I have been happy here and I want to die that way. I know who you will pick, Tenchi, even 

though you do not. I want a few happy memories unstained by sadness while I wait for all of you to join me under Tsunami's Tree. My life has always been bittersweet 

and there has been tragedies that only the love of my family has brought me through. I am glad that I have tasted love unrequited though it may be. I can now say that I 

have lived a life more sweet than sour. That I will miss you all."

Tenchi looked like he would protest but he kept his peace but Ryoko had no such scruples. "Ayeka you stupid bitch!"

"Ryoko!" Tenchi exclaimed.

Ryoko shook her head, "To choose death. I thought a princess would have more courage."

Ayeka stared at Ryoko. In Ayeka's eyes a multitude of emotions passed through before she said, "I have lived as an example all my life. I am a failure as a princess and 

only my mothers would dispute it."

Ryoko shrugged off the memories and concentrated on her daughter who was tired and becoming a little cranky. She dried off Ayeka and then she got 

dressed. She walked upstairs by habit because by now she learned that the motion soothed young children and made them sleepy so they would go down for their naps. 

She got into bed with Ayeka and got comfortable. She sang softly to Ayeka until she fell asleep. 

Ryoko looked down at the little girl sleeping in her arms and smiled. She was glad that Misaki and Funaho, the Queens of Jurai, had agreed to Ayeka being 

cloned. By a unanimous vote by the two, the King was informed but not given an actual vote. But most importantly of all they had let Tenchi and herself raise Ayeka. 

Funaho finally persuaded a reluctant Misaki in a private conversation that Ryoko was glad she hadn't been allowed to hear. 

She did hear that a large amount of property damage had been inflicted in the course of the 'conversation' Ryoko mused.

Washuu had cloned Ayeka from strands of hair found in the elder princess's' hair brush and genetically tinkered with her DNA slightly to give her the slightly 

different appearance that she had been born with.* The zygote had been implanted into Ryoko's womb and carried to term. So Ryoko felt that the little girl she and Tenchi 

had named Ayeka was truly her child. 

Whenever the two queens could get away they came to visit Ayeka. 'Grandmothers' Misaki and Funaho spoiled her and the other two children shamelessly. Of course 

that just meant that Ryoko could spend a little more time with her beloved husband and father of the three most terrible but beloved children in the entire 

galaxy. Really she loved it when they tried to turn Achika into a little lady but she would have none of it. Achika would rather climb trees or sneak around the shrine 

pretending to be a ninja than sit still and play nice with a doll. They were still trying although they had been hit with more pinecones than anyone deserved as Achika 

threw her 'ninjastars' at the enemy.

And Yosho was just as hopeless. Currently he wanted to be a Galaxy Police Officer just like his Aunt Mihoshi and put the bad guys away for good. He was still 

the only one who would watch Space Police Policemen with Mihoshi and still be thrilled at the end of the show. Or depending on his mood he wanted to be a jewel thief. 

That had started after Achika accused him of stealing her favorite bead bracelet and he denied it. It turned out that she had simply misplaced it but the whole incident had 

given Yosho ideas that everyone in the family soon regretted. Misaki and Funaho seemed to suffer the most thefts (since they had the best loot) and devoutly hoped he 

would outgrow it soon.

Of course Ryoko assured herself, Yosho always gave whatever he took back. At least he was an honest thief.

Ryoko laughed silently. Life was never dull now.


	2. Glossary

Okay sorry. I meant to put this at the bottom of chapter one to explain things to those who got a little confused. But like they say 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.' shrugs So here it is.

Samanda Hime-sama

Terms and obscure meanings:

Joosama is one of the japanese words for queen or ruler.

Also Ayeka was not born with the violet hair that she sports in the manga or the anime. In fact Washuu found out early on that Misaki's (Ayeka's mother) allele has a tendency to dominate and that Ayeka is an older copy of Sasami. Ayeka had a gene factor coversion when she was four years old to look like Funaho as much as possible because she idolized Yosho and knew Yosho considered his mother to be the perfect woman.

So Washuu tinkered with Ayeka's DNA in the story to make her look as she had began in life. This was to keep little Ayeka from misunderstandings. Remember that there are photos of the princess everywhere. Would you want to know that you were simply a copy? It would definitely skew a young child's development. Don't worry, the truth will be told to her.

Yes Ayeka is a clone. But she doesn't have the princess' soul. Her soul is with Tsunami and that is the way it will stay. The child is a new life despite the fact that she is a genetic duplicate and so she has a another soul.

Think of the child as an identical sister of Ayeka's. 


End file.
